Locking-stopper for bottles



(No Model.) W. W. GUPTILL. LOCKING STOP'PER POR BOTTLES.

Patented Nov. 25, 1890.

UNITED STATES VIYSLOV NV. GUPTILL, OFYBOSTON, ASSIGNOR, BY DIRECT AND MESNE AS- SIGNMENTS, TO CLARENCE W. FOX, OF SAUGUS, MASSACHUSETTS.

LOCKING-STOPPER FOR BOTTLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 441,240, dated November 25, 1890.

Jlpplleation led April 9, 1890. Serial No. 347,244. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it may concern.-

scription, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of this speciiication, in Which.-

Figure l is a side elevation of a bottle having my improved lockingstopper applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a plan of the same. Fig. 3 is an enlarged elevation of the key for locking the stopper. Fig. 4 is an enlarged vertical section through the stopper and the neek of the bottle on the linea: moi' Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a similar section on the line y y of Fig. 2. Figs. 6, 7, 8, and 9 are details in perspective.

My invention relates to that class of bottlestoppers in which a rubber rin g or disk is eX- panded laterally within the neck of the-bottle by compression between two portions of the stopper, which are drawn together by a screw or other device; and my invention has for its object to construct a bottle-stopper of this description which can be locked within the neck or mouth of the bottle or other receptacle by means of a removable key, thus particularly adapting it for a great variety of purposesfor instance, for bottles for containing poisons, or where it is desired to prevent unauthorized persons from abstracting spirituous or other liquids from bottles, jugs, or demijohns.

To this end my invention consists in a bottle-stopper provided with an elastic ring or plug adaptedto be expanded laterally within the neck or mouth of the bottle or other receptacle to lock said stopper in place therein by compression between a stationary and a movable portion of the stopper, said movable portion being operated by a screw, which extendsupward into a closed chamber-or casing at the top of the stopper and is adapted to be operated by a removable key introduced through a slot or aperture in the said casing, the mechanism for expanding the elastic portion of the stopper and thereby locking it in position being thus placed out of reach of any one not possessed of the proper key, as here inafter more fully described.

In the said drawings, A represents my improved bottle-stopper, composed of a hollow portion b, wit-hin which is litted to slide vertically therein a short hollow portion c, provided at its bottom with'a head 10, Figs. 4., 5, and 9, between which and the bottom of the portion h is placed a ring or annular plug d, composed of rubber or other suitable elastic material. The portion h is provided with a lateral flange b', which is adapted to rest on the top of the neck of thebottle B and prevent the stopper from being pushed down too far into its neck or mouth a. The portion c, which is preferably of square or polygonal form in cross-section and is encircled by the rubber ring d, is provided with an internal screwthread, within Which tits a screw e, provided with a large head f, by turning which the head 10 of the portion c may be drawn up toward the portion b, thus compressing the rubber ring d and expanding it laterally, as seen in Fig. 5, against the inside of the neck or mouth of the bottle, jug, or other receptacle to which the stopper is applied, the said ring when thus expanded forcibly against the inside of said neck or mouth serving to lock the stopper therein, so that it cannot be withdrawn until the screw e is turned in the oppositedireetion to permit the rubber ring to contract in diameter in a manner common to bottlestoppers of this description. The head f of the screw c rests upon the top of the portion h, to which is soldered or otherwise permanently secured a cylindrical casing h, which incloses the said head f and prevents the same from being turned except by means of a properly-shaped key C, Fig. 3, which is inserted through the top of the casing h, as hereinafter described, and engages with slots or notches 7c in the said head f. This head f is provided with a recess l5, Fig. 7, for the reception of a swiveling plugz', having a iiange 16, which lies close to the top of the head f, as seen in Figs. 4 and 5. The

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the top of the cylindrical casing h, said aperture Z having two notches m m diametrically opposite each other, which permit the two lateral projections n n, formed at the bottom of the key C, to pass down into the interior of the cylindrical casing 7L when the plug Il is turned, as seen in Fig. 5, -to bring its cleft 18 into line With the said notches mm. key C is inserted into the cleft 18 and pushed down through the notches m m until its proj ectionsnn have passed entirely through the top of the casing h, when they will rest on the edge ot' the recess 15 in the head f of the screw e. The key is then turned with the plug t until the notch or cleft 18 of the latter is opposite to or in line with the notches 7a 7c in the head f of the screw e, as seen in Fig. 5, when the key, owing to a notch p in its botftorn and the depth of the cleft 18 inthe plug i', can be pushed in so that the projections 'n n will engage with the said notches 7o 7c.

' The screw e can now be turned by means of the key, so Vas to expand the rubber ring d within the neck or mouth of the bottle, as seen in Fig. 5, and lock the stopper immovably in place therein, after which the key is raised to clear the notches k in the head f, and can then be rot-ated in either direction until the cleft 18 in the plug c' is in line with the notches m m in the top of the casing h, when the key can be readily withdrawn, leavingthe stopper securely locked in place, so that it will be impossible to remove it without the key, as the head of the screw e, which controls the expansion and contraction of the rubber locking ring, is entirely inclosed and protected by the casing h, the entrance to vwhich is guarded by the rotary notched plug i and notches mm in such manner as to render it difficult to pick the lock with any orc inary instrument which would be likely to be at hand. I do not, however, limit myself to the exact construction of lock here shown, as it is obvious that variations may be made in its details without departing from the spirit of my invention.

The above-described stopper presents a neat and nished appearance, is simple, cheap, and durable, and will be found particularly useful The,

Wherever it is desired to prevent unauthorized persons from tampering with or gaining access to the contents of bottles, j ugs, or other receptacles, or for bottles containing poisons, when the fact of being obliged to unlock the bottle with a key would be likely to call at tention to the nat-ure of its contents, and thereby avoid accidental poisoning from carelessness.

Vhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is*

1. In a locking bottle-stopper, the combination, with an elastic ring or plug adapted to be expanded laterally by compression between the stationary and movable portions of the stopper, of the screw e, engaging with the said movable portion and having a notched head located within a chamber or casing h, forming a part of said stopper, a notched plug swiveling within a recess in the head of the screw e and extending up through a circular Vopening in the casing h, provided with notches m m, and the key C, with its lateral projections n n, adapted to pass through the notches m m and engage with the notches in the head f of the screw e, substantially as set forth.

2. In a locking bottle-stopper, the combination of the portion b, provided with a closed chamber or casing h, the portion c, sliding Within the portion b and having a head 10, the elastic ring or annular plug d, encircling the shank of the portion c and adapted to be expanded laterally by compression between the portion b and the head lO, the screw e, engaging with the portion c and having a recessed head f, provided with notches 7c k, the rotary plug i', with its cleft 18 swiveling in the head fand projecting up through and iilling a circular opening in the top of `the casing h, said opening having the notches m m, and the removable key C, adapted to engage with the head of the screw e, substantially as set forth.

WVitness my hand this 4th day of April, A. D. 1890.

WINSLOW XV. GUPTILL.

P. E. TESCHEMACHER, HARRY XV. AIKEN. 

